Sweet charity

Gifts for do-gooders

by Mike Hofman

We all know the type -- in this town, there's a Dukakisian in everyone's life. You know, the crunchy one who espouses values like "conservation" and "inclusiveness" and sniffs at conspicuous consumption. Might even drive a Volvo. Scratch that -- it's a bike. Do you buy this person a set of martini glasses come the holidays? Probably not. Instead, here are some socially progressive gift ideas for the confirmed do-gooder.

A share in Waltham Fields Community Farm. This is a working farm that donates half its crop to soup kitchens and homeless shelters. The other half is split among shareholders on a weekly basis from June through October. The farm-fresh food is delivered to sites in Davis and Central Squares and Arlington Heights. Shareholders receive a regular dividend of greens, eggplant, tomatoes, squash, and corn. Not only are you giving people great food -- and healthy food, to boot -- but you're helping to fund a program that feeds the less fortunate. "The shareholders' money pays the salary of the farm manager," says Oakes Plimpton, coordinator of the program. "We have this thriving farm really in the middle of the city, and the people we feed get fresh produce instead of canned goods, which is nice." Shares cost $200 or $300 (depending on how much produce you want). Call Plimpton at (781) 891-6689 for more information.

Membership in the Trustees of Reservations. What could be a more thoughtful gift for the outdoorsy type than free access to 80 beautiful recreation spaces for one year? And at the same time, you help preserve those sites for future generations. Among the Trustees' stomping grounds: Crane Beach, in Ipswich; Nathaniel Hawthorne's Old Manse, in Concord; and World's End, in Hingham. "We protect sites of historic, ecological, and scenic importance all around the state, all of which are open to the public," says Michael Traiff, the group's spokesperson. Individual memberships cost $40 and include a quarterly newsletter, a guidebook, and -- gravy! -- a car window decal. If you know someone with a young brood, family memberships (for two adults and all dependent children under the age of 18) cost only $60. Take $10 off the price if a student or a senior is involved. Call (978) 524-1858 for information.

Products from Tzabaco, a California catalogue that caters to gay men and lesbians. This campy catalogue features lots of pictures of coy, come-hither men and anatomically correct dolls. It also features a variety of do-gooder merchandise. One-fifth of the proceeds from each sale of a $25 throw rug benefit the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, which monitors attitudes toward gays in schools. Five dollars from the sale of a $20 rainbow key chain is donated to the Lambda Legal Defense Fund, which offers pro bono legal assistance to gays and lesbians. Each purchase of an oversize rainbow umbrella ($25) funnels $5 to Lifeline, a Washington, DC-based group that funds mini-grants to school-based gay-straight alliances across the country. To place an order with Tzabaco, call 1-800-856-1667; e-mail tzabaco@aol.com; or visit the Web site at http://www.tzabaco.com.

Crafts from Ten Thousand Villages. This Mennonite-run store in Central Square (694 Mass Ave, Cambridge, 617-876-2414) is part of a national chain that sells the crafts of Third World villagers. "For every $1200 we sell in merchandise, we employ one person for one year in a developing country," says Ed Neufeld, a sales associate. Walking through the shop is a journey akin to the "It's a Small World, After All" ride at Walt Disney World. "It's a world of laughter/A world of cheer," and it's a world of ceramics from Vietnam, brass from India, and woodwork from Haiti. The birdhouses made in the Philippines (ranging in price from $4.95 to $14.95) look particularly interesting. You might also go to Ten Thousand Villages to find the perfect holiday-specific gift. The store carries menorahs, Kwanzaa greeting cards, and crèches from around the globe.

Membership to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. This venerable but cash-poor Boston institution welcomes new members; benefits include special invitations to events and exhibitions and a two-thirds discount on all concerts in the museum. "It's an intimate place with ambiance and atmosphere," says spokesperson Melissa Kuronen. Indeed, the Gardner boasts one of the most dazzling courtyards you'll ever see, accented with trees, flowering plants, and sculpture. The building was modeled on a 15th-century Venetian palazzo, and many of the best works displayed here are Renaissance paintings. But the collection is delightfully eclectic and idiosyncratic, reflecting its founder's reputation. Treat someone to regular viewing of works by Titian, Botticelli, Rembrandt, Sargent, and Degas. For a smart extra, give the membership with the museum's guidebook ($15.95 at the gift shop) or Douglass Shand-Tucci's Isabella Stewart Gardner biography, The Art of Scandal (HarperCollins, $15 paperback). Membership costs $40 for one year for individuals, $60 for couples or families, and $25 for students. The museum is located at 280 The Fenway; call 617-566-1401.

A subscription to Who Cares magazine. If the person you're shopping for actually works for a nonprofit or sits on a nonprofit's board or committee, this gift is tops. Why? First, the bimonthly is chock full of information. Second, it's . . . well . . . it's free! Who Cares is underwritten by corporate grants and donations, so it doesn't charge for subscriptions. The self-styled "tool kit for social change" covers such nonprofit-management issues as how to motivate volunteers and how to use the Internet to build awareness about a cause. Couple Who Cares with a donation to the recipient's organization for a thoughtful gift that could cost $10 or $100, depending on how much you choose to give. Call 1-800-628-1692 for more information, or visit the magazine's Web site at http://www.whocares.org. You can also e-mail Who Cares at info@whocares.org.

Whatever you can find at Boomerangs. This thrift store near North Station (60 Canal Street, 617-723-2666) sells "pre-owned" and donated items ranging from bow ties to armoires. Proceeds go to the AIDS Action Committee, and all the cashiers are volunteers. You can find great bargains on CDs ($4 each or three for $10), candles (also $4), and other stuff. Vintage books (think Pottery Barn décor and you've got the idea) run $5 each. Dog-eared paperbacks sell for $1, and hardcovers for $2. Among the titles when I visited the store: Persuasion, by Jane Austen; I'm OK -- You're OK, by Thomas A. Harris; and Prime Time, by Joan Collins. There's also a PC section (expect to pay about $165). And for a gift that is clean and new, check out the $15 clocks near the ties and shoes.

A bracelet from the Until There's a Cure Foundation (UTAC). If AIDS charities are important to you but Boomerangs' stuff doesn't cut it, consider buying a bracelet from this group based in San Mateo, California. Three million research dollars have been raised to date through the sale of these unisex cuff bracelets, which come in silver plate ($20), sterling silver ($70), and 14-karat gold ($350). As the flack for the bracelet exclaims: "The style-conscious, proactive reader will love to know that they can accessorize while helping humanity." Style-conscious? Proactive? Helping humanity? Sounds good to me. Call 1-800-88-UNTIL for order information, or visit the group's Web site at http://www.utac.org.

Cool home furnishings that kick back money for breast cancer research. Fresh Eggs, a store in the South End, will have a Wheel of Fortune in its front window during the holiday season. For $1, you can spin the wheel for the chance to get a discount on a certain product (which can be your gift). All funds gathered will go to the Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition. "We feel it's a current and urgent issue, and we wanted to keep it very close to home, so we chose the Massachusetts chapter over the national group," says co-owner Julie Sutherland. The store is located at 58 Clarendon Street; call 617-247-8150.

Mike Hofman would to like find martini glasses under the tree this year.